All Things in Common?

If you are a true Christian, should you divest yourself of all financial assets and give everything to the Church? When you die, should you leave all (or the majority) of your estate to the Church? Does God need your financial resources to do His work? More importantly, does God expect you to give your money to the Church, some individual, or a particular organization? Were early Christians practical communists? What does Scripture reveal about the financial practices of the early Church - First Century Christianity?

Unfortunately, too many folks in leadership positions within the Christian Community have staked claim to a substantial part of their followers' income. It is, of course, obviously in their self-interest to make sure that their ministry has a reliable and substantial income available to finance their ministries. In this way, many of these ministries have accumulated great wealth and have used those resources for whatever they deem as appropriate/needful.

Even more alarming, many of the groups which are supported by small flocks of people have resorted to some of the most draconian requirements for their membership to remain in good standing with leadership (smaller groups need a bigger chunk of each individual member's pie). Moreover, all fundraising and donations are usually portrayed as obligatory and/or being devoted to God (the human leader or group is rarely even mentioned (If he/she is mentioned, it's usually in their role as "God's servant" or "God's representative" on earth)!

In this connection, it is essential that we understand the tithing system which was used by the ancient Israelite as outlined in Torah, and that we examine the New Testament Scriptures which relate to the finances of the ekklesia of the First Century. Indeed, without this foundation, it would be impossible to formulate any kind of financial system and legitimately attribute it to Almighty God! Remember too, that ANY interpretations of the passages of Scripture offered by many of these ministries we've been discussing were/are motivated by a desire to maximize their income!

First, in terms of God's covenant with the Israelites, we must remember that this particular iteration of God's Law (Torah) was designed for a primitive, agrarian culture surrounded by a bunch of decentralized, polytheistic, and pagan societies. As part of the religious system, which was formulated for them, a tithe or "tenth" of their crops and livestock were to be devoted to sustaining the priestly class and the central sanctuary (Tabernacle at first and Temple at Jerusalem later) outlined in Torah. We should also note that this system was premised on the pre-existing ownership of land, livestock, and seed. Moreover, it was based on whatever INCREASE the farmer experienced over the course of a year. In other words, a large portion of their wealth was excluded from the formula.

Even so, we must also remember that Gentiles had no such tradition to draw upon and were never required to tithe on their income and send the proceeds to the central sanctuary in Jerusalem. Moreover, under the terms of the New Covenant, both Jewish and Gentile Christians were NEVER made subject to the Levitical Priesthood of the Old Covenant. Hence, the notion that the tithing system designed for that priesthood and Temple's support was ever transferred to ANY Christian ministry is purely speculative and NOT supported by Scripture.

Now, we come at last to the Church described in the New Testament. In the book of Acts, after Peter's Pentecost Sermon and the large influx of Jewish converts into the Church, we read: And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47, ESV) Notice, that the decision to have all things in common and sell possessions was a collective one. It wasn't imposed on the membership by the Apostles, and it was distributed according to need within the membership of the Church. In other words, this practice was a spontaneous reaction of the people to the needs of some of the less fortunate among them.

Indeed, the impression that this feeling was general and spontaneous among the earliest Christians is reinforced by what we find in the fourth chapter of the same book. We read there: Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. (Acts 4:32-37, ESV) Once again, we see that this was a collective decision of the extant membership, and that the proceeds went to address the needs of the less fortunate among them. Moreover, we are told that a disciple named Barnabas sold some land and brought the entire proceeds of that sale "and laid it at the apostles' feet."

Then, in the very next chapter, we read the story of another transaction by a married couple named Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11). As we read over this story, it is implied that the couple colluded to withhold part of the proceeds of their sale of land for themselves and make it appear that they had made the same kind of offering that Barnabas had made. Nevertheless, according to the account, Peter confronted them about their deception and told them that they hadn't lied to him - that they had lied to the Holy Spirit! In the account, husband and wife both drop dead on the spot as an example of Divine punishment for their prevarication! Even so, notice that it is NOT suggested anywhere in this account that such offerings were a requirement imposed upon the membership by Peter or the other apostles. And, finally, we should note that there was a widespread (and mistaken) impression among the apostles and early disciples that Christ would return in their lifetime. Hence, their willingness to part with worldly wealth was understandable.

Did Jesus Christ have anything to say on the question of Christian giving? He certainly did. He said that Christian giving should be motivated by a desire to please God and help others, and NOT to receive notoriety, gratitude, or accolades from others (Matthew 6:1-4). Christ also taught his disciples that a small amount from someone with limited resources was worth more in God's eyes than a large contribution from someone who was wealthy (Luke 21:1-4).

"Wait, didn't Jesus endorse tithing for New Covenant Christians in the Gospel of Matthew?" our legalistic friends will demand. The answer is an emphatic "NO!" The passage to which they are referring is found in the twenty-third chapter of that book. We read there: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! (Matthew 23:23-24, ESV) First point, who is Christ addressing here? Jewish scribes and Pharisees - folks who are supposed to be operating under the terms of the Old Covenant (Torah)!!! Christ is clearly portrayed here as criticizing the behavior and hypocrisy of Jewish religious leaders. In fact, his remarks were intended to be illustrative of behaviors and attitudes which his disciples should NOT imitate! In other words, the scribes and Pharisees should have been doing those things (including tithing).

Likewise, Christ's apostles taught that Christian giving should be focused on helping others in need and should be done willingly and with joy - NOT out of a sense of obligation, or to fulfill the requirements of some commandment, or in anticipation of some future reward for doing so (II Corinthians 9:7, James 1:27, I John 3:17). Paul's letters to the Christians of Corinth demonstrate that he regularly took up offerings to help Christians in need (I Corinthians 16:1-2, II Corinthians 8:1-14, 9:1-14). Now, Paul was certainly entitled to personal support for his ministry as an apostle of Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, we find him on a number of occasions working to support himself - so that he wouldn't be a financial burden to the brethren of the Church (Acts 18:1-4, I Thessalonians 2:9, I Timothy 5:17-18). And, like Christ, Paul also felt that giving to the Church should NOT infringe on a person's ability to take care of his/her own family (Mark 7:9-13, I Timothy 5:8)!

Thus, we have seen that Christian giving was intended by Christ and his apostles to be a voluntary contribution to help others in need, and to supply the physical needs of the ministry (food, clothing, shelter). Christ and his apostles NEVER commanded their followers to tithe and/or send their money to headquarters. We've also seen that the Scriptural principles behind these freewill offerings precludes using them to support an opulent lifestyle for ministers (like mansions, crystal chandeliers, designer clothing, expensive cars, air-conditioned dog houses), support an organizational bureaucracy, pay for a leader's pet projects, a fancy television studio, a private jet, etc., etc. We have seen that neither Christ nor his apostles endorsed a kind of communist program for the ekklesia or required that believers contribute a certain percentage of their income to support the Church. What should we all have in common? Love for each other and compassion for those in need!    

 

Christ's Olivet Prophecy

For those Christians who have been preoccupied with eschatology, too many of them have twisted and abused Christ's discussion with his disciples on the Mount of Olives just prior to his arrest and crucifixion. Indeed, many of these prophecy junkies have so thoroughly misinterpreted Christ's remarks on that occasion that they have thoroughly corrupted their understanding of the prophesied chronology of Christ's return!

As the account opens, we read: As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings. But he responded, “Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!” (Matthew 24:1-2, NLT) Notice the context of Christ's remarks - his commentary was directed at the physical edifice which Herod the Great had erected (the Temple which was the focus of Judaism at that time). Unlike the disciples of that time, we also have the benefit of hindsight in interpreting his remarks. In other words, Jesus was clearly predicting the destruction of the Temple by the Romans in 70 CE (which also clearly identifies that event as an important milestone in the fulfillment of the Divine plan).

Next, we read: "Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?" (Matthew 24:3, NLT) Notice, that they asked Jesus TWO different questions. When would the Temple be destroyed? and What sign(s) would signal his return and the end of the world? Hence, we must take these questions into account when we evaluate how Christ answered their questions! This is NOT rocket science, and it does not require deep spiritual insight - It is simply a matter of common sense!

Continuing, Jesus replied: "Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come. “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:4-14, NLT)

Notice that Christ's initial reply addresses the second part of the second question first. Moreover, he does NOT suggest a real chronology of events leading up to the time of the end. Instead, he talks in general terms about the conditions which will exist on the earth UNTIL the end arrives! In other words, these are the conditions which would exist down through the centuries until Jesus returned to this earth - whenever that eventually happened!

Then, there is a clear shift in Christ's remarks to a specific day and time in the near future. Jesus continued: "The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about—the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place.” (Reader, pay attention!) “Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. And pray that your flight will not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again. In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones." (Matthew 24:15-22, NLT)

Notice that Christ is speaking here about a specific future event. For anyone who is familiar with the history of the First Century, it should be obvious that Jesus was talking here about the Jewish Rebellion and Rome's suppression of it - culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple and the loss of very many lives. This event is part of what Christ describes as leading up to the end and his return, but it is obviously NOT referring to the entire 2,000 + years leading to those events. Moreover, in both his Antiquities of the Jews and Wars of the Jews, the Jewish historian Josephus attested to the severity of the calamity which befell Jews and Jewish Christians at that time (and Christ did not exaggerate).

After all, Christ promised his disciples that the gates of hell would NEVER prevail against his ekklesia - his assembly of called-out ones. Indeed, time has demonstrated that those events of 70 CE were far removed from the actual return of Christ (although the events of that year did mark a decisive end of the Age of the Second Temple). From that point forward, it was impossible for Jews or Jewish Christians to observe the tenets of the Old Covenant (Torah) going forward.

Throughout the remainder of the chapter (Matthew 24:23-51), we are informed that Christ warned his disciples about being deceived by those proclaiming themselves to be messiah and preachers of falsehood in his name. He went on to encourage them to be aware of what was happening around them, so that they might discern the approach of all three of these events (destruction of the Temple, end, and his return). He also warned his disciples to be prepared/ready - to be practicing his teachings whatever the future might hold. This is the essence of Christ's famous "Olivet Prophecy."

Shame or Pride?

Well, it's Pride Month, and the rainbow flags are flying; and many Christians are alternating between paroxysms of anger and shock. "How can those people be proud of something that they should be ashamed of?" they demand. They look at the parades and celebrations, and all that they can muster is a feeling of deep disgust. For these folks, LGBTQ people are exulting in sin and perversion and making a mockery of their faith, nature, and civilized society. Are they right?

After I reached puberty, I spent the next twenty-plus years fighting against the reality of my attraction to members of my own gender. For ALL of those years, if I had had any choice in the matter, I would have chosen to be on the heterosexual team. I felt ashamed of myself. I prayed EVERY day for God to take away my thorn in the flesh - to heal me - to make me whole, but my prayers did not result in any change in my sexual orientation. Nevertheless, I was determined to do the "right thing" - to be what God expected me to be - to not succumb to temptation and "sin."

I endured the alienation and isolation my "condition" engendered and forced my eyes to turn away from the people who pleased them. There wasn't any dating or acting on my feelings. I eschewed close relationships with my peers and obsessively read my Bible. I NEVER acted on my feelings. Later, while in college, I dated and eventually married a kind and attractive young lady. "Isn't this what I'm supposed to do?" I thought. "Isn't this what God expects me to do?" We welcomed two beautiful daughters into the world, and I rejoiced and thanked God that he had allowed me to be a father. I loved my wife and my daughters, but that wasn't enough. Although I was physically faithful to my wife, those thoughts and feelings kept intruding into my consciousness. Eventually, my marriage collapsed under the weight of my own secret reality.

After my marriage ended, I finally allowed myself to experience an intimate relationship with another man. It felt natural and satisfying, but I didn't like the names and looks that were directed at us. I hated that other people expected me to "come out of the closet" and proclaim my homosexuality to the world. Eventually, I ended my relationship and resumed living with my ex and devoted myself to co-parenting and providing a stable home for my children. I had loved the man, but I could not make it fit with my faith, conscience, and other responsibilities. Looking back, I had many opportunities to accept myself and my own nature, but I didn't arrive at that place till many years thereafter.

Like many other homosexuals, I have experienced the shame and alienation of my disposition. Fortunately, I have finally also experienced coming to terms with my sexual orientation. Like my heterosexual counterparts, there was no choice to make. There was never a time when I decided that pecs were more attractive than breasts - that men were more desirable than women. Like my eye-color, I didn't have any choice in the matter. I was gay, and I would always be gay. I was the person whom God had created me to be. How could I be ashamed of that?

My thoughts drifted back to the story of creation and the Garden of Eden. God had created humankind (male and female) in "his" image and had pronounced them to be "very good." He had demonstrated that only another human would make a suitable companion for another human, and that sexual relationships among humans would serve much more than just the reproduction of the species. I remembered too that I had read that "the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed." Indeed, it wasn't until after the couple had consumed the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil that they became aware of their own nakedness and felt the need to cover themselves. I realized that we (humans) have attached shamefulness to our bodies and its functions! There is love, joy, and thankfulness; and there is hatred, fear, and shame. Some of us have finally embraced the former, and some of us are still prisoners of the latter. What do you think - shame or pride?

Why Do We Do What We Do?

The authors of the blogs which deal with the errors of Armstrongism have been accused of bitterness, hatred, acting as instruments of Satan, and apologists for traditional Christianity. The truth about the motivation of most of us, however, is found in a passage from the epistle of James:

My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins. (James 5:19-20, NLT)